Lux Aeterna
by Dread Wolves
Summary: There are some secrets left unknown even to the Guardians who so valiantly sacrifice themselves. But when a plot brokered between a rogue agent and the forces of darkness reveals not everything they keep is sacred, a small group of three must do everything in their power to keep their last safe harbor from falling. [Eventually rated M / human!shaxx.]


**I.** Words

"This is our bastion, _our_ sanctuary, and it will burn before it's theirs."

* * *

><p>The room was quiet, tense. There was a darkness that had lingered and it made the two souls beneath the waning starlight feel uneasy as it continued to stretch them thin. Feelings like these were always apparent in such a world like theirs but this time it was different. It made them feel weak, tired even, like strings pulled too tight against cold metal. The Speaker and his Eyes were having a discussion that made the darkness surrounding them evermore apparent.<p>

The Warlock watched her superior with a curious glance as he hunched over various papers spread out before him upon the desk. There was a silence that hung over them like a spectre and it made both linger with a certain melancholia. She had wondered for what purpose she had been called to, wondered what it was that he desired her attention for. Generally when he did reach out it was never a good thing as in most cases she was doing her duty as the Traveler's Eyes and looking for threatening signs or lost knowledge from The Golden Age. Recently her own travels took her to Venus to scour the garden world's nexus of secrets that, in the end, proved itself to be futile.

"Do you know why I have summoned you?" he asked then promoting the woman to shift her weight slightly. It was ominous and she dared not to ask, her words heavy against themselves with the very thought. Her eyes lifted upward to catch a quick glance of the stars that lingered before being taken away by the dark clouds. There was a dying light that glimmered in her own eyes just as darkly, almost like a mirror.

"No, I do not." she responded softly, her eyes returning downward. His back was still turned to her and the Warlock could feel her insides churn heavily. She was thankful to not have eaten anything that day as she was sure it would have made the entire situation at hand even worse.

However there was a light sigh that had escaped from the Speaker as he turned away from his desk. She needn't have seen his face beneath that mask to know that he was troubled. These were uncertain times and everything was a valid reason to be troubled by. Though it wasn't something completely unreachable the idea of something far worse than normal was a most troubling thing. Again, her insides churned at the very thought.

"The Guardians have reported a dramatic increase of both Hive and Fallen forces lingering dangerously close to the city's perimeters." This was true, she had seen this first hand herself while coming back from her most recent patrol. They were amassing for a most peculiar reason and she dared not to stay to find out for what purpose. Hive and Fallen were certainly no force to be reckoned with.

"Both Hands have reported to me that they are vying for something, something very precious to us." The Speaker added after a moment of trying to find his words. He pulled away from the desk and stood with his own hands behind his back tightly fastened together. There was a swirl of hesitation that made the Warlock feel stiff. "Corvus and Uriel have both suggested they are searching for a weakness to the city, to the Traveller," the Speaker began once more as his own attention directed itself toward the large sphere suspended ghost-like above the glowing city. "And I fear that they are right."

Now the Warlock found herself feeling as if she had just taken a Titan's punch to the gut. Her fears were making themselves real and she was unsure if she was ready to face what it was that her superior had suggested. She was just the eyes to his words, meant to only watch and to keep him informed of what it was that had been going on. He was never meant to give her the bad news and it was alarming with what had just been suggested by his own lips. The very thought made her knees feel slightly weak.

"I have seen these gatherings myself, that is true, but are they sure this is what they are planning? The darkness has lingered for centuries but they can't suddenly be brave enough like this for no reason. They are predators but they aren't foolish ones." In spite of her words she knew that he was probably right. How long did they expect the Wall to maintain itself, for ever? And the last of the Traveler's light, did they expect that to last just as long? Hope had been a thing of luxury and with each day that passed it was slowly becoming more of a myth than reality. That was saddest part of it all.

The Speaker then turned and carefully picked up a piece of paper the moment she finished. It was dirty and some of the black words had been smudged but it was still legible. Gently he cradled it as he walked forward to pass it onto her where she had waited with an open grasp. The soft pale of her eyes studied it further and she took in all that she could from the details.

The man once again placed his arms behind his back as he watched his companion study the little thing. "You are the Traveler's Eyes, Falere, I trust you more than anyone but sometimes we need more than just sight to keep us safe. Corvus had left this for you, they are the directions to find Uriel. The Right Hand will tell you more of what it is that he had seen."

The Awoken lifted her eyes upward with the mention of the Titan. The Right Hand was sure to have a few things to tell her and she almost dreaded the thought of getting some answers. But regardless she nodded and quickly gave the Speaker her respects before carefully folding the paper into a small square. As she tucked the finished product into the folds of her coat she gave him one last look.

"And if he isn't there?"

The masked man returned her gaze by cocking his head to the side addled along with a most curious answer to the response. "Lord Shaxx is sure to know. But I'm sure he will be there, Corvus had given me his word."

With the mention of the Crucible champion the Warlock turned her head. "Yes, Uriel is fond of the arena, so I suppose Shaxx would also know." she responded softly with a quiet if not wistful thought. "Perhaps it is time I return to my duty. Thank you, Speaker and I will return with news as soon as possible."

With that the Warlock turned away leaving the masked man alone with his thoughts. From behind the masked he listened to her walk away and quickly return to her duties just as he himself had done. But there was still that doubt, still that dying ember lingering in his heart that swelled with a heavy ache.

There was a growing darkness and no matter how much they fought against the current of eventual destruction it was their destiny to struggle and lose. It always would be and that fact in itself was tiring.


End file.
